The Matching Scale
by rougescribe
Summary: Nalulovefest 2015- Prompt 4: Fired up. Natsu would rather burn through tradition than take on a mate, but what's he to do when the girl he's been waiting for was the right one all along? Dragon AU. M for MATURE.


**Nalu Love Fest 2015**  
 **Prompt 4:** Fired Up

 **Note:** Dragon AU that got WAY longer than intended. Oopsie!

 **Disclaimer:** I own the AU Idea, but that's pretty much it.

Do enjoy!

-CGP

* * *

This was possibly the stupidest thing he ever had to do. And this was coming from a boy who's favorite pass-time was seeing how fast he could burn his own wardrobe before any of the servants noticed. Instead, they were noticing his poor attempts at escape and were currently forcing him into the most tightest, stuffy nobleman's coat they could fit him into. He hated dressing up.

Being the Prince of Dragons ruling over an entire country of them shouldn't involved courtship dances with embroidered doublets anyway.

"Natsu- stop squirming and maybe it won't be so bad, idiot boy."

Not to mention, having a father who was supposed to be a King talking so lovingly was quite the plus to his life. Sending a stare of onyx towards his much larger, taller father, he tried his absolute best to silently speak of his dissatisfaction. Instead, he growled lowly and grumbled. Nothing he did was ever quiet.

"I don't see you wearing this crap." He muttered, motioning towards the far more comfortable poets shirt and breeches the wild-haired Dragon King was wearing. As creatures of mythology hiding their larger forms in humanoid shapes, the thought of constricting clothing was usually abhorrent to any of them. Where was the freedom?

So, seeing his father comfortable while he was… in this, was daunting.

Lips curving into an almost sinister grin, teeth glinting, King Igneel chuckled and dusted off invisible lint from his shoulders and sighed. "Well, I've already courted, married and had you silly boy- why would I need to wear something so ridiculous?"

"Ergh, stupid old man, if I have to go through with the damn ceremony, can't I at least wear what I want?!"

"And miss seeing you in this? Not a chance."

He hissed something that sounded awfully like steam and fire with a minor threat to the walls crumbling down, but Igneel's boisterous laugh was his only response. Another reason today was going to suck. At least they were keeping one of his arms uncovered as they foisted the many layers onto him.

Even if it was the arm that revealed the entire reason they were doing this in the first place.

Adorning his skin, travelling along his arms in patches, were the small tell-tale signs of his heritage. Red scales that shimmered in the light. A fire dragon, of course, had to be red- even if his hair was a coral shade instead, but littered amongst the scales was one mis-colored one that was the most noticeable of them all. A golden scale. It hadn't been there a year ago, but now that he was old enough to choose a bride, the blasted thing had appeared and now, no matter how much he argued to the contrary, he was stuck.

"Trust me, Natsu- you'll like the ceremony." Igneel said, interrupting his thoughts. "Finding the one meant to be yours forever isn't that bad."

"I don't need a bride." He grumped right back. "I can rule on your throne alone just fine with my friends as advisors. Soul mates just make no sense."

Finally wearing the King's patiences thin, Igneel sighed and rubbed his temples. "I'm not even going to begin to explain it or even try to: you'll figure it out once you meet your intended."

"Yeah- and who's to say I'm not going to get stuck with someone as stupid as Gray?" Just thinking of the Ice dragon sparring partner he grew up with made the boy blanch. "Or worse- what if they're a hoity toity female worrying about her claws getting chipped?"

"If it was Gray, you'd know already-" The older dragon groaned. Seriously, his son was rather obtuse at times. "Your scale is on your intended. With the amount that boy strips, I'm certain you would have noticed him sporting a red scale at some point or another- now stop trying to take your vest off!"

"-but it's too tight!"

"Get over it!"

"Screw you old man!"

"Do NOT make me sedate you before the ceremony you brat!"

"Just try it, I bet your joints will give out before I do!"

If the rest of the castle heard the sounds of angry roars and fire blasts from the upper rooms, no one gave any notice.

It was par for the course with Fire Dragons after all.

When that evening rolled by, with the stars and moon shining at their brightest and the music of a royal party was in full swing, Lucy Heartfilia felt as if her own stomach was about to fall out of her mouth. Not because she was nervous her outfit wasn't nice enough, or that no one would dance with her: no, that was hardly the case.

Her shimmering white dress and pooled at her feet was drop-dead gorgeous on her, she thought. And with the amount of stares coming her way, oh she knew many a male and female wanted to be her partner for the night. The only thing that stopped them was the golden scales along her left hand and wrist.

The shined brightly, revealing her true, draconic nature as a Celestial Dragon, but one thing stood out: the bright red scale that covered the back of her hand.

Everyone knew what that meant. Even she did. Her time to meet her mate was coming soon, and it was mostly likely a fire dragon. Which was precisely why she was here at this particular party. The King of the Fire and his son were well known- in fact she'd been best friends with the Prince Natsu until five years ago, when their kingdoms had severed their alliance.

Her presence here was her Father's last ditch effort to repair what had been lost, hoping the red scale belong to the Prince. That she was his chosen bride.

Lucy- as much as she wouldn't mind this thought, also dreaded it. Would he be happy to see her? At least as the friends they once were? Or would he laugh at her family for even hoping? There were many dragons of red scales out in the world: surely her's could belong to someone else?

A part of her hoped so.

"Lu, calm down. Everything's going to be just fine." Casting her gaze towards her best friend, Levy, she sighed. Of course the book wyrm would be the force of optimist between the two.

"That's easy for you to say," She muttered, "You've already got your mate and it wasn't nearly so publicised. What if my Father is wrong? This could be the most embarrassing night of my life!"

"...do you want him to be right?" Honestly, Levy had been under the impression Lucy wanted the exact opposite.

"No- I mean… it's .. complicated." She didn't know what she wanted anymore. "He was my best friend for years, you know that. I bet he has a white scale or blue. And even if it is golden, there are other yellow Dragons around here. I don't think I'm ready for that kind of embarrassment."

Nudging her with her elbow, the smaller dragon sighed, trying her best to be reassuring. "Oh Lu- you're thinking about it all wrong. You know how these things go. Once the two scales meet, the only thing they're going to be focused on is each other and no one's going to think twice about you or your Father's tries at resigning the alliance through your courtship."

Eyes down cast and a sudden chill running through her spine, Lucy numbly nodded. "I… hope you're right."

-but, even if it was someone else. He was still her friend, right? Did he… even remember her?

Lucy only had so much time to dwell on this, as she and Levy were both suddenly pulled into a rather lively dance with all the other guests that had come. Many had showed up for the ceremony. Most just curious to see who the lucky chosen bride would be, while others, hopeful it would be them. She noticed many in the crowd with a red scale much like hers: and some even sported a golden scale like her own.

When these were noticed, they flashed her a grin and searching eye, curious if perhaps they were the ones meant for each other, but Lucy over-looked them. She didn't need to study them to know. Her heart already did, they weren't it. Nothing about them sang to her blood and so, they avoided her.

When her legs were tired from the many dances and levy had disappeared somewhere in the crowd, possibly to find her surly mate who had most likely taken to the shadows to hide: the dancing stopped. The hall grew quiet and finally, the guests of honor appeared, strolling down the marble stair case as if they owned it.

Being as it was the King and Prince, they surely did.

They looked just as she remembered them, with Natsu far too uncomfortable in his grand clothes for his liking. It brought a quirk to her lips that she had to cover before someone noticed the familiarity in her eyes. Despite his opulent form of dress, his right arm was left open, revealing the red scales that adorned his arm, but the supposed mis-colored one was hidden from sight- carefully wrapped in bandages.

Odd- Lucy thought, they didn't usually hide them. What was Igneel and Natsu playing at? Her mind covered many answers to this question, but it did nothing to solve the mystery as they descended the stairs. Upon reaching the level as the rest, Igneel allowed a blast of power to radiate off of him, heating the room up instantly as he signaled for the music to continue.

The time for fun and dance was passed. Now was the time for the Fire Dragons to mingle, hunt and scent out what was there. The mere thought brought tingles up her spine and her eyes were glued to the boy everyone wanted, but only one could have.

 _It should be me._ A voice inside her said, but she ignored it. Of course it shouldn't. What nonsense was that?

Ah- Igneel had said something, but her sudden inner struggle caused her to miss it. Drat. Noticing the crowd moving as he passed among them, son in tow looking as if he were ready to bolt at any second: she realized they'd begun. And suddenly, fear gripped her.

She couldn't let him see her. Not yet. Not now. Eyes transfixed as they walked, the bored eyes of onyx widened as he approached, pausing to look around quickly as if something had finally gained his interest, but when those intense eyes landed on her location she was already sifting through the crowd to find a hiding place.

Maybe Levy had the right of it.

Natsu was sure he had seen her. Or maybe it was just his eyes tricking him, but the scent was here. He could have never forgotten that scent. Walking through the crowd, listening to his father greet and boast to everyone about how proud he was that his son had 'finally' come of age was annoying. If not a bit boring, and half the women he came across were staring at him as if he were a piece of prized meat. Which made him snort.

Those women knew he wasn't for them, half of them didn't even had red scales on them and those that did had no connection to him whatsoever. Was all that talk about instinctively knowing who the other was upon meeting them just mumbo jumbo said purely just to get the girls ga-ga over it? He was starting to think so.

Huffing, allowing a cloud of smoke to puff from his mouth, he was resigned to endure this for the night as he was forced to withhold setting anything on fire or going on a rampage of destruction: which he greatly wanted to do. When stressed, agitated or cooped up- what else was a Fire Dragon supposed to do? He wanted to go wild on something, damnit!

-but then his nose smelled her. Light and vanilla, it brought back memories of a calmer time, before the neighboring kingdom had broken ties with his. Of a girl that would play with the rest of his playmates and sparring partners. Whose laugh was loud and smile as bright as any sunshine.

Turning his gaze in the direction of the scent, his heart stuttered into his throat when he caught familiar golden hair disappearing into the crowd: Lucy was here?

There was no way his father didn't know about this. "Hey, old man."

"Not in front of everyone, son. I'm done arguing with you."

Growling, he prodded the king's shoulder, really not caring for decorum and stared at him. "You had the guest list. Is Lucy here?"

The way the man's shoulders tensed and he refused to meet his son's gaze was answer enough. Oh yes, he knew full well she had been here and never even considered to tell him. Why the hell would he do that?

"- Why is she here?" He asked simply. The tone far different than his more boisterous, rebellious one. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. Was she here to watch? Did she have a scale too? the mere thought of her meeting her own intended her made a foul taste appear in his mouth and he growled again. Low and dangerous.

"She has a scale." Igneel finally said quietly, glancing towards his son. "I do not know the color, but you should be more focused on scenting out your-"

"To hell with that!"

Not caring who heard at this point, he broke from the path his Father had made, pushing through the crowd of onlookers and moves to follow the scent. Lucy was here. The girl he'd thought he'd never see again was here, in his castle, and now she was trying to hide. Which was ridiculous, she'd never won a single game of hide and seek against him.

He always found what he wanted. And to finally have her close again… the scent alone was drowning him. Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, Lucy…

His Lucy was home again.

Any thought towards why his own mind sounded possessive over her, or towards the fact his intended could be someone else and her's meant for another as well, didn't even register in his mind. Oh no, she'd been gone for five years over something stupid her Father had done and any bride intended to be his could wait. It wasn't as if he'd wanted to marry anyway.

As the scent grew stronger, he knew he was closing in, it was hard to hide in a place like this: especially with his superior nose. A royal was known for their extreme senses, but he could pick her out anywhere. That's how it had always been.

Catching glimpses of her hair, he finally made it through the thickest portion of the crowd to see her, just in time to pause as every limb in his body froze in place and his eyes began to see red.

Another dragon was touching her. And it was male.

To think she'd be stopped by a red scaled dragon too far into his cups was not what she'd had in mind when she began to ran. The crowd was stifling and her anxiety worse. Lucy hadn't even realized which direction she was heading as long as it was away from the center of the room, but now she was desperately regretting that decision.

This man's clawed hands had grabbed her wrist just as she'd walked by and the way he grinned at her was less than friendly.

"What a nice scale y'got there, lovely- have ya' been lookin' for me?"

She didn't even need a second glance to know the answer to that. "No- I have not."

That, however, did not make him loosen his grip any. Tightening it to near bruising, he pulled her close, hot breath fanning over her skin and making her insides churn until she felt sick. "I've been lookin' for you, though…" Lifting a hand lazily, he revealed a yellow scale on the palm of his hands. "-Y'sure you're not being stubborn?"

"Y-you must be… mistaken." She said, pushing him with as much force as she was able. He was too drunk to hear his instincts, she was sure of that. Else he'd have known she wasn't the one no matter if they're scales matched. "Let me go already- this isn't about you or me anyway, it's about- gah!"

His teeth met her flesh and he growled, "that's no way to be talkin' to your intended, lovely."

"I'm not your-" would it ruin any and all chances at rebuilding the alliance if she tore down half the great hall in her attempt to knock this man out?

"That's funny- I thought intendeds were supposed to be cherished, not forced into anything."

She froze. That voice. There was no way, had he found her already? And with this guys mouth on her neck no less? Hissing, she stomped on the man's foot, forcing him to release her through an angered curse and she stepped away. Before she could move much, farther however, a warm arm snaked around her waist and pulled her harshly into the chest of the very dragon she'd been trying to avoid.

"N-natsu!" Her face paled when she noticed he wasn't even looking at her. Cold fury in his eyes that burned like a hellish promise as he looked at the other, far less sober dragon. With muscles tense and temperature rising, he showed his hackles as a fierce, growl hummed between them.

Somehow, despite the sudden shock and fear- her body relaxed and the churning in her stomach turned into a heat that made her legs squirm. Lucy frantically tried to think of a way to get loose, but all thoughts on the matter were quickly derailed as the heat from his body seared through her clothed where his fingers held her and he hissed out a warning.

She was not to move, and something in her told her to obey.

"What the hell are you talki- oh shi… you're.. I'm sorry yer highness, I had no idea she was yours!"

" _ **Get the hell out before I incinerate you.**_ "

The other male didn't need to be told twice. Stumbling over his feet, he rushed through the crowd that was now staring at them. Feeling her cheeks heat up, Lucy tried, once again, to move, but was met with another warning growl.

-but then… his eyes finally looked to hers and all thoughts of moving, talking, anything really, went out the window. Intense onyx met chocolate and Lucy felt herself drowning as a shock slammed through her entire body. His eyes were fierce, angry, but a hint of hope and awe was hidden within, as if shocked she was there to begin with,

Tightening his hold, his eyes drank her in and every cell in his body screamed to have her so close. To finally have her near him again. When His quick perusal of her landed on the red scale on the top of her hand, he felt as if his chest would burst.

 _She's mine._

Snarling, he quickly dragged her away, pulling her from the hall and through the corridors until he had them just secluded enough on the outer balconies of Igneel's garden that he shoved her against the wall, trapped. "Lucy-...why.. are you here?"

With chest heaving, mind in tatters from the strange connection made when their eyes had met, she nodded numbly, breath far too short to answer. Fingers gripping her shoulder to shake her, he repeated his question and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, it was Father's idea, he was hoping to… he wanted to…"

"To what? I haven't seen you in five years Lucy, what did your asshole Dad want?!"

Oh she knew he'd be angry. Pushing on him, she snarled, teeth glinting in the moonlight. "Don't talk to me like this is MY fault! I wasn't the one that broke the alliance, remember? I was the one DRAGGED out of here against my will. I LIKED being here! What gives you the right to-"

She never had a moment to finish her question before his teeth clacked her hers, silencing her in a smoldering kiss that left her toes curling and breath escaping into his awaiting mouth. Reacting on instinct, her nails dug into his hair, scraped down to his neck and held him close as she tasted the fire and power on his breath and with a thrust of his hips, pressing them tightly together, a conjoined moan escaped them.

Natsu's heat branded her. His frustration, his possessiveness, the joy at seeing her again. It was all too much, too much and he couldn't handle it. He needed this. Needed to consume her and mark her as his. Every fiber of his being screamed in a need to fill the hole in his heart he hadn't realized he'd had for the last five years.

God had he missed her.

Grunting in satisfaction when he knees buckled, his hot hands fell down to her waist and sizzled against her clothes. He couldn't contain his power and the heat marked her as much as his teeth and kisses did while their lips bruised against the other.

Bunching the fabric of her dress up into his clawed hands, ignoring the sounds of sizzling and tearing, he lifted her legs as she quickly wound them around his hips and another jar of their hot centers together caused him to see stars. He broke the kiss, trailing molten kisses along her jaw, down her neck as she cried under his touches and moved her hips against his again.

Her mewls pleaded with him, begged him for more and Natsu couldn't deny her. Digging teeth into her collarbone, he sucked on the skin, and hissed when her own nails ripped into the tight fabric of his clothes. He knew he was wearing too much.

Lucy, however, was lost to the feelings. Her body was singing and every heated kiss, burn of his fingers, sent her further and further away from any form of common sense she could have. With claws tearing through his shirt, wanting to feel him as much as he was her, she only paused when her fingers came across the bandage on his arm and there it all came back to her.

He was supposed to be finding his mate here. Why were they…

"N-Natsu.. we, we can't. I'm intended for another and you're…"

He growled his distaste as fingers gripped her hand, palming the scale that was now glowing brightly between them. "Lucy- I've wanted you for years and no scale is going to keep me from getting it. Five years has been too long and. a. scale .wont. stop .me."

Gods, couldn't he smell the fact she didn't? But it was all so wrong… "But you're scale…"

Snorting, his heat rose to an even higher temperature, fire sizzling off his skin in small licks that burnt his own clothes as well as hers. It inflamed her, but there was no pain. His control was superb in that it melted away the bandages, revealing the beautiful red scales beneath… and one golden scale that left her eyes prickling in unshed tears.

It was _hers_. She'd know her own scale anywhere.

A silent message passed between them then. A knowledge of binding that surpassed more than the years they were a part or even the childhood they spent together. Perhaps, they had always been meant to be like this eventually- perhaps that's why her father had tried to end their alliance in the first place: terrified his daughter would be taken by a fire dragon known.

Tired of waiting, of letting the situation sink in, Natsu rocked his hips against hers again, the hardness between his legs so prominent it could be felt between the many layers of his clothing and she gasped, baring her throat towards him once again. He wasted no time in taking it, pinching the fevered flesh between his skin as his hands began the process of destroying every ounce of clothing she wore once more.

"Tell me you're mine, Lucy," He hissed, finally reaching her now uncovered breasts, dragging his teeth across hardened nipples as he bruised them with his kisses. "Say it."

"-Natsu.. I.. ahn!" Rolling their hips again, lost once more, Lucy rolled her eyes, wetted her swollen mouth and tried to speak, but no sounds but her mewls escaped. He suckled roughly on her peaks, switching between the two as another hard thrust caused her to see stars.

"Lucy- Say it!"

The fire of his kind was still burning off of him, leaping towards her skin and claiming her as much as the rest of him. Dragging her nails down his scales, forcing the weakened clothes from his upper torso as she struggling to bring more of his flesh against hers, Lucy realized she couldn't deny him.

"I'm yours." _I've always been yours._

The satisfied roar that followed was triumphant. One that Dragons all over would recognize as a male claiming his intended. Natsu's mouth clashed against hers again as he dropped her legs, ridding them of their clothes as fast as he could manage while their lips were still furiously working against each other and soon her skin was marred in his flames, but the heat that consumed his mind had taken hers as well.

Her own power of golden light shimmered between them, curled about him and when he finally sank within her hot flesh- their answering snarls was that of completion.

"Say it **again**!"

"Ah- Natsu!" His hands tightened on her hips as he pounded her relentlessly, moving her own with his every thrust as he filled her deliciously. The heat was inside her now, crawling from his very being to hers and with a cry of his name she gave him his answer once more.

It was too much. Far too much- with every thrust of his cock inside of her, she mewled and every tightening of her core sent him growling into her throat. The waves of pleasure crescendoed over her once sending him into a frenzy that spun her around, facing the wall as he dominated her. But his words of ownership were shared, felt and with each swivel of her hips, she made him answer in kind.

"So tight, fuck you're so tight!" Such crude language echoed between them and soon he was muttering everything he felt into her very ears. "You feel so good, Lucy… and you're all mine: as long as you accept me I'm yours too. Do you accept me, Lucy?"

He was close, she could feel it, and as they moved with each other, sending wave after wave of that peak through her, she nodded her head, practically crying for them to finish as one.

"Y-yes! I accept you!"

His answering roar of pleasure would have been heard through the entire great hall: if not for the loud music Igneel had the band playing.

The King in question, had scene the entire ordeal between the other dragon and the way his son had reacted. Satisfied as he'd dragged her away, the older Dragon had carefully calmed the room down, announced that his son had finally chosen his bride, and allowed the festivities to continue.

It was about time that girl returned anyway. His son may have never admitted it, but he sulked worse than any brat he could name and convincing Jude to come around to rebuild their alliance was child's play once their scales had appeared.

"Good job, old friend." He muttered under his breath, fanged grin befitting that of any conqueror. "Your gift in a daughter-in law has been accepted."

Of course he knew she had been on the Guest list: how else was his son ever going to get what was his?


End file.
